Gaza ceasefire comes into effect with delay

The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came into effect on January 19, hours after a prisoner exchange was due to begin as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the US between Israel and Hamas.

Israel agreed to halt the strikes only after receiving a full list of prisoners held by Hamas. The initial agreement called for Israel to release more than 700 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of 33 civilians. Hamas holds 98 Israeli prisoners.

Israel continued its attacks even as the ceasefire was supposed to begin. Hamas's delay in fulfilling its commitments led to new airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. Ten people were reported killed in the incidents. Six of them were killed in Gaza City, three in the north, and one in Rafah.

The incidents were confirmed by the Gaza Civil Defense and humanitarian organizations. The current situation in the region remains volatile, and hopes for a full implementation of the ceasefire regime remain dim.